Gareth Bale has confirmed Manchester United bid more money than Real Madrid to sign him in 2013 – but he snubbed the Red Devils for his dream move to Spain in an £85m world record transfer
Gareth Bale has revealed that Manchester United tabled a larger offer to Tottenham to secure his signature in 2013 before his then-world record transfer to Real Madrid.
The former winger moved to Spain for £85million after becoming one of the most coveted forwards in global football at the conclusion of the 2012/13 campaign. Bale bagged 26 goals in 44 appearances for Spurs.
Bale was pursued by United, who were under fresh leadership with David Moyes, and Madrid, penning a six-year deal at the Santiago Bernabeu in September. Almost 13 years since his blockbuster switch to Spain, Bale has disclosed how United demonstrated genuine interest in him and why he never made the move to Old Trafford.
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Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, the 36-year-old said: “United and Madrid were the two teams [who were interested]. They actually bid more than Madrid.” Asked if he was never going to sign for United, he replied: “No.”
He added: “I spoke with David Moyes. Not [Ed Woodward], maybe my agent did. My heart was set on Madrid. I had something in place with Daniel Levy, maybe more of a gentleman’s agreement, because he didn’t want to sell me to a rival.
“So if a team did come in from Spain, Italy or wherever, I could potentially go because if we didn’t qualify for the Champions League, which we didn’t, I was then able to go there. We had that gentleman’s agreement, even though he made it very tough.”
Gary Neville pressed for further insight into why Bale turned down a switch to United at that time, questioning whether the club had tabled a superior wage package. Reports at the time suggested he’d agreed to a £300,000-per-week deal in Spain.
Yet Bale admitted he never reached the contract negotiation stage with United. “I didn’t go down the wages route,” he explained. “They offered more money to buy me, but it didn’t really get any legs.”
Moyes, who departed the club after just eight months, has subsequently disclosed that United were targeting both Bale and Barcelona’s Cesc Fabregas that summer. Instead, Marouane Fellaini arrived from Everton for £27.5m.
“It’s been well documented that we wanted Cesc Fabregas, Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo,” Moyes revealed in 2014. “There was talk of Ronaldo when I first arrived. We were close to getting a couple of major names.”
Bale went on to win multiple Champions Leagues and a plethora of trophies in Madrid, finishing his time at the club with 106 goals from 258 matches.